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Original poster

Im absolutely livid...thinking about sending a strongly worded email...

320 replies

Twdfn123 · 11/12/2022 12:45

Hi,

So my partner and I were at our local peacocks browsing the clothes and we had our 1 year old son with us. I usually push the pram as i look at baby clothes but my partner took him to go to the mens. thank god! Because as i was browsing a bit of the roof fell down about 2 ft in front of me!

Now if I had been pushing my son, that would have caved in over his pram and he could have been injured! I just sort of stood there frozen and the woman at the till noticed and came over. She said did that just happen and said yes. All she said is they should have fixed it months ago as there is a massive leak up there. Then that was it and she turned around and went about her business.

I get its not her fault, but 1) to not even ask if i was okay (i am just a bit shocked and grateful at the same time my son was with his dad) 2) for the store to not even cordon that corner off if they knew it was dangerous because of the 'bad leak'.
After the lady said that I looked at the ceiling and there was lots of brown patches and drips down the wall as well.

I feel like contacting customer service as i find this all quite appaling to be honest.

OP posts:
Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:04

beatsin8s · 12/12/2022 19:00

What is wrong with people! Obviously it should be reported! And there is nothing wrong with 'what ifs' in this scenario, the whole point is 'what if next time someone is underneath it'.

And the PP saying if you don't like it shop somewhere else? WOW. You're the problem if you don't like ceiling on your head 🙄

Sorry you've had all these silly accusations of looking for compensation @Twdfn123. It's quite sad so many people wouldn't act on something unless they were getting something out of it x

Thank you! Honestly some people sound so nasty about it all but I'd rather a ceiling not cave in on anybody else. Thanks for reading 😊

OP posts:
PurpleButterflyWings · 12/12/2022 19:06

Glad you're OK now @Twdfn123 and hopefully nothing like this happens again!

katepilar · 12/12/2022 19:07

I dont understand why people are so nasty to you, OP. Of course you get a shock when a roof comes down right in front of your eyes, in a place where your baby usually is.

fatchilli123 · 12/12/2022 19:07

They have a legal responsibility to provide a safe property . Their insurance company may not even support any claim if anything /anyone is injured or damaged because they had prior knowledge . People on here saying nothing happened is stupid. If someone comes on your property and get injured you would be culpable. They have a higher duty of care as they open their doors to the public to sell good to .
It doesn't take much if a ding to a head in the right place to kill someone , child or adult.

MistySkies · 12/12/2022 19:08

Of course near misses should be reported. The op nearly had dirty ceiling fall on her, even if it wouldn't hurt it's not exactly ideal to have that on your head is it, and would be pretty embarrassing for the shop. You dont just see something potentially dangerous or detrimental but think let's ignore it until it actually causes some harm, what would be the point of that. The staff member didn't assure her that it would be taken seriously so the op is taking action to check it is that's all. It seems strange to me that there's so many conflicting opinions but I think people are suspicious maybe of the poster's motives and her being so focussed on her concern that it could have been her child has detracted a bit from the facts, but I can see why that's the op's main focus because its massively ingrained in most people to look out for and worry about potentially harmful scenario as parents, maybe evolutionary but that's a whole different debate!

Meseekslookatme · 12/12/2022 19:08

MMUmum · 12/12/2022 18:22

Email head office to make sure it's been reported, and make them aware of staff attitude

If they are anything like the retail places I've worked in, the staff have reported it. Over and over again.
I got screamed at by a mum whose kid ran head first into a broken display, we'd been trying to get it repaired for ages We asked the kid not to run around too, but no one gives a shit until it's their kid with a head wound
She contacted head office, they quietly repaired it.
They really drag their heels over stuff like this.
Even the really big companies. Behind the scenes half of it is half together with cable ties and "fragile" tape.

NoGoodUsernamee · 12/12/2022 19:08

I’d be livid it didn’t hit me in the head, could of got thousands 😂😂

joke

Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:10

NoGoodUsernamee · 12/12/2022 19:08

I’d be livid it didn’t hit me in the head, could of got thousands 😂😂

joke

😅🤭

OP posts:
Zax · 12/12/2022 19:10

I'd say get over it and get yourself a life!

getalifesonny · 12/12/2022 19:12

are all their stores like this? Our local one also seems to have a permanent leak even on dry days and the roof seems to be a bit chipped.

Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:12

Meseekslookatme · 12/12/2022 19:08

If they are anything like the retail places I've worked in, the staff have reported it. Over and over again.
I got screamed at by a mum whose kid ran head first into a broken display, we'd been trying to get it repaired for ages We asked the kid not to run around too, but no one gives a shit until it's their kid with a head wound
She contacted head office, they quietly repaired it.
They really drag their heels over stuff like this.
Even the really big companies. Behind the scenes half of it is half together with cable ties and "fragile" tape.

Show quote history

Yes I don't blame the staff member at all. In hindsight she was probably just as shocked as I was! Hopefully the issue will get looked at now its causing potential safety concerns. Sad that's what it takes like I'm your old place

OP posts:
Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:13

Zax · 12/12/2022 19:10

I'd say get over it and get yourself a life!

I'd say take your comment and shove it

OP posts:
Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:13

getalifesonny · 12/12/2022 19:12

are all their stores like this? Our local one also seems to have a permanent leak even on dry days and the roof seems to be a bit chipped.

I've noticed a few stories on here from peacocks. Think some stores need some serious TLC by the sounds of it!

OP posts:
getalifesonny · 12/12/2022 19:17

They also have a huge staff turnover. Along with that considering how many times they have undergone administration, I am not surprised by the lack of management.

Livelovebehappy · 12/12/2022 19:18

I think people might be giving the OP a hard time, as when people get so worked up like this, it usually means they’re seeing potential pound signs. And our high street shops are struggling atm, without having to pay out compensation for ‘what ifs’. But obviously if OP is just taking time out of her day to highlight the issue, so that the roof gets fixed, then that’s very commendable of her….

parsniiips · 12/12/2022 19:20

The HSE says

However, near misses should not be ignored or treated lightly, as they can provide valuable insight into how well you are managing health and safety in your workplace. This record book will allow you to see if there are any patterns in when or how things go wrong.

So yes, it should be logged and reported.

I wouldn't be going all out looking for compo or anything, nothing actually happened to anyone, but it COULD have seeing as the ceiling dropped down.

Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:21

getalifesonny · 12/12/2022 19:17

They also have a huge staff turnover. Along with that considering how many times they have undergone administration, I am not surprised by the lack of management.

Ah OK I didn't known this about them, guess it makes sense why they all sound dilapidated

OP posts:
Samanthakronda · 12/12/2022 19:22

Contact the health and safety exec. This is a near miss not an accident. They need to know about it. Luckily you weren’t injured!! Pre 2000 builds (not sure what sort of building it is!) there’s potentially asbestos- this could be in the ceiling tiles and in theory contaminated the store and clothes- although wet there would be no risk to you, but once dried out in the store there could be a bit of a mess. Good luck

Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:23

Livelovebehappy · 12/12/2022 19:18

I think people might be giving the OP a hard time, as when people get so worked up like this, it usually means they’re seeing potential pound signs. And our high street shops are struggling atm, without having to pay out compensation for ‘what ifs’. But obviously if OP is just taking time out of her day to highlight the issue, so that the roof gets fixed, then that’s very commendable of her….

I'm just more concerned that the dodgy ceiling is right over the kids section so there's a high chance a kid or baby would get hit and after having my son that freaks me out a little. Hopefully it gets sorted 🙏

OP posts:
Zax · 12/12/2022 19:26

Aww bless you!

Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:27

parsniiips · 12/12/2022 19:20

The HSE says

However, near misses should not be ignored or treated lightly, as they can provide valuable insight into how well you are managing health and safety in your workplace. This record book will allow you to see if there are any patterns in when or how things go wrong.

So yes, it should be logged and reported.

I wouldn't be going all out looking for compo or anything, nothing actually happened to anyone, but it COULD have seeing as the ceiling dropped down.

I would probably have taken this more seriously if it actually thwacked me on the head but I'm just after the issue to be sorted so I can shop there knowing mine and my sons head won't get clonked with dodgy ceiling

OP posts:
Original poster
Twdfn123 · 12/12/2022 19:36

Samanthakronda · 12/12/2022 19:22

Contact the health and safety exec. This is a near miss not an accident. They need to know about it. Luckily you weren’t injured!! Pre 2000 builds (not sure what sort of building it is!) there’s potentially asbestos- this could be in the ceiling tiles and in theory contaminated the store and clothes- although wet there would be no risk to you, but once dried out in the store there could be a bit of a mess. Good luck

Thank you 💙

OP posts:
midlifecrash · 12/12/2022 19:36

Mabelface · 11/12/2022 13:03

I would. Someone's massively dropped the health and safety ball here and it needs logging as a near miss. Write to the ceo and also contact the health and safety executive. This has the potential for serious injury, and you reporting this may help avoid it.

This. Having a good laugh at all the responders on here who go around with things nearly falling on them all the time and just think “ooh, it must be my lucky day!”

Eyerollcentral · 12/12/2022 19:37

I am a pedant so I have to clarify that the ceiling did not ‘cave in’, one ceiling tile file and disintegrated. A previous poster pointed out it would have weighed the same as six Cadbury’s roses. The poster compared it to a wet cotton wool ball in terms of impact. It’s this kind of overblown language (e.g. caved in, asbestos, fatal injuries, neglect) that means many people have more questions than answers.

I know it’s dangerous to make assumptions (that hasn’t stopped them being thrown around wily nily on this thread!) but am going out on a limb to assume that the council have not in fact classified this incident as dangerous currently but instead just asked the OP to send the details on to the correct dept who deal with such reports, but am happy to be corrected! Think I am now one of the baddies though because I haven’t been whipped in to the OP’s righteous frenzy.

Tahlbias · 12/12/2022 19:37

Don't write to Peacocks, find out who owns the building and complain to them! Very often, companies who rent out the buildings don't care, as long as they are having their rent money. Tell them that you will be informing environmental health and that should kick start them into repairing the roof.